SHIFT is a community that brings together growth‑minded companies and forward‑looking people.

The main event of SHIFT is the SHIFT Business Festival, held at Turku Science Park, where companies, people, and emerging phenomena meet.

SHIFT originated from the desire of the Junior Chambers of Commerce in the Turku region to create a “Ruisrock of business events” in Turku—an event that would combine creativity, culture, and diversity, and attract hundreds, if not thousands, of people to the city. To pursue this vision, SHIFT ry was founded, joined by the Junior Chambers of Commerce, the Turku Chamber of Commerce, and Turku Entrepreneurs. Since 2016, SHIFT Events Oy, owned by the association, has organized the SHIFT Business Festival, which has impressed visitors from Finland and abroad year after year.

In 2023, Turku Technology Properties became the majority owner of SHIFT Events Oy with an ownership share of approximately 70 percent. The company’s goal is to make SHIFT Business Festival the most fascinating business event in Finland—an event that supports company success and enables people to meet and share their insights with each other.

In 2026, the theme of SHIFT Business Festival is success, explored through the lenses of data‑driven leadership, community, and internationalization.

English track at SHIFT 2026

10:45-11.00 Business Turku: Women’s Health: The Next Global Growth Market – Why Innovation and Business Must Catch Up

Business Turku will bring us a keynote with a timely topic that is strongly rooted in Turku! The stage will feature an introduction on “Women’s Health: The Next Global Growth Market – Why Innovation and Business Must Catch Up” by Aura Pyykönen, followed by a panel discussion. Location: Avidly Cave.

11:00-11:30 Business Turku: Building the Women’s Health Economy: Partnerships, Platforms and New Business Models

Business Turku will bring us a keynote with a timely topic that is strongly rooted in Turku! The stage will feature an introduction on “Women’s Health: The Next Global Growth Market – Why Innovation and Business Must Catch Up” by Aura Pyykönen, followed by a panel discussion.

The panel topic is “Building the Women’s Health Economy: Partnerships, Platforms and New Business Models,” and will be moderated by Minna Arve, CEO of Business Turku. Panelists are CIO Jennifer Grönqvist, Dayan Ventures and Tuomas Nyman, Neuvo Inc. Global. Location: Avidly Cave.

12:00-13:00 SHIFT goes life science

As part of SHIFT’s health track programme, we will bring Roope Suomalainen from AMD Silo AI and Ville Haaslahti from Hidex to discuss the signifigance of data as well as the scalable ecosystems especially from the viewpoint of life sciences. Hosting the session we have Mari Lahti, who is building one of the next life science breakthroughs at Ferrivia. Location: Koski.

Topics:
Roope Suomalainen: Why Openness Wins: AMD’s Role in Building Scalable Life Sciences Ecosystems
Ville Haaslahti: Data in science based business

13:00-13:45 Lars-Johan Jarnheimer: Leading in a changing world
Location: Rajulava.

14:00-14:45 Lars-Johan Jarnheimer Q&A + cocktails for Executive network
Location: Avidly Cave.

14:30-15:15 Tarun Sharma: From idea to impact: building and scaling ventures globally

Tarun Sharma is a dynamic venture leader, accomplished TEDx speaker, and captivating storyteller, currently serving as Partner & COO at Nokia Ventures. With over two decades of experience in venture investments, corporate innovation, and building high-growth businesses, he bridges the worlds of Fortune 100 leadership and startup grit. At SHIFT, Tarun will take us on a journey from innovation to successful business launch and what it takes to scale that business globally. Location: Rajulava.

15:15-15:45 Choose your battles and your allies – internationalization in the field of defence technology

We are bringing an unprecedented panel discussion to SHIFT, as four companies join forces to discuss internationalization from the specific viewpoint of defence technology. On stage we will have panelists Jaakko Heikonen from Pemamek, Panu Routila from Patria and Kimmo Laine from Milrem Robotics. Location: Rajulava.

15:30-16:15 Kamilla Sultanova: The modern village idiots: why “kylähulluus” is Finland’s secret superpower (EN)

In this cheerful and energising keynote, keynote speaker, host and DEI consult Kamilla Sultanova explores “inclusive leadership through kylähullu lenses”: the brave, slightly quirky Finnish spirit that dares to connect people, cross boundaries and turn strangers into neighbours. Drawing on stories from Finland before, during and after Covid, and on local and global trends that show how employees and customers yearn for community in an age of loneliness, the talk reveals how me-henki and everyday acts of inclusion unlock innovation, loyalty and performance across borders and technologies.

Participants will leave with simple, practical ways to spot the “obvious but unseen” people and ideas around them, and to practice their own kylähulluus to build trust, accelerate change strategies and create better ways of working, earning and living together – fully in tune with SHIFT Festival’s joyful me-henki feeling. Location: Avidly Cave.